Antenna panel management and beam management method and device

Abstract

Example antenna panel management methods of a terminal device are described. One example method includes that the terminal device enters a sleep mode from an active mode. When the terminal device is ready to re-enter the active mode from the sleep mode, if sleep duration is less than a preset threshold, a single panel of the terminal device is activated. If the sleep duration is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, a plurality of panels of the terminal device are activated. The terminal device activates a panel based on sleep duration between two consecutive DRX ON modes, so that a suitable panel can be activated in time, and a suitable beam can be further found for communication with a base station.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An antenna panel management method, wherein the method comprises:
 entering, by a terminal device, a sleep mode from an active mode; and 
 when the terminal device is ready to re-enter the active mode from the sleep mode,
 in response to determining that a sleep duration is less than a preset threshold, activating a single panel of the terminal device that is a panel used last time or communicating with a network device by using a beam used last time; and 
 in response to determining that the sleep duration is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, activating a plurality of panels of the terminal device or communicating with a network device by using a beam determined during random access. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 in response to determining that the sleep duration is less than the preset threshold, the method further comprises: performing, by the terminal device, beam management by using the single panel that was activated; and 
 in response to determining that the sleep duration is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, the method further comprises: performing, by the terminal device, the beam management by using a plurality of activated panels. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of activated panels of the terminal device are all configured panels. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel used last time comprises one or more of the following:
 a most recently used panel for receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS); 
 a most recently configured or activated panel for receiving a PDCCH, a PDSCH, or a CSI-RS; 
 a most recently used panel for sending a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), a sounding reference signal (SRS), or a random access channel (RACH); or 
 a most recently configured or activated panel for sending a PUCCH, a PUSCH, an SRS, or a RACH. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 if the terminal device performs beam management in the sleep mode and when the terminal device re-enters the active mode, determining, based on a beam management result, a beam for communication with the network device. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 in response to determining that the sleep duration is less than the preset threshold, the method further comprises:
 receiving, by the terminal device and using the beam used last time, signaling that is used to indicate a beam management resource and that is delivered by the network device, and 
 performing beam management based on the beam management resource by using a single panel; and 
 
 in response to determining that the sleep duration is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, the method further comprises:
 receiving, by the terminal device and using a beam determined during random access, the signaling that is used to indicate the beam management resource and that is delivered by the network device, and 
 performing the beam management based on the beam management resource by using a plurality of panels. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the beam determined during random access comprises one or more of the following: a beam determined during initial access, a beam determined in a link reconfiguration process, or a beam determined in a re-timing process or an uplink synchronization process. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the beam used last time comprises one or more of the following:
 a most recently used panel for receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS); 
 a most recently configured or activated panel for receiving a PDCCH, a PDSCH, or a CSI-RS; 
 a most recently used panel for sending a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), a sounding reference signal (SRS), or a random access channel (RACH); or 
 a most recently configured or activated panel for sending a PUCCH, a PUSCH, an SRS, or a RACH. 
 
     
     
       9. A communications apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 one or more memories coupled to the at least one processor and storing instructions for execution by the at least one processor to:
 control the communications apparatus to enter a sleep mode from an active mode; and 
 when the communications apparatus is ready to re-enter the active mode from the sleep mode,
 in response to determining that a sleep duration is less than a preset threshold, activate a single panel of the communications apparatus that is a panel used last time or communicate with a network device by using a beam used last time; and 
 in response to determining that the sleep duration is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, activate a plurality of panels of the communications apparatus or communicate with a network device by using a beam determined during random access. 
 
 
 
     
     
       10. The communications apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein one or more memories store the instructions for execution by the at least one processor further to:
 in response to determining that the sleep duration is less than the preset threshold, perform beam management by using the single panel that was activated; or 
 in response to determining that the sleep duration is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, perform the beam management by using a plurality of activated panels. 
 
     
     
       11. The communications apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the one or more memories store the instructions for execution by the at least one processor further to:
 if the communications apparatus performs beam management in the sleep mode and when the communications apparatus re-enters the active mode, determine, based on a beam management result, a beam for communication with the network device. 
 
     
     
       12. The communications apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the one or more memories store the instructions for execution by the at least one processor further to:
 in response to determining that the sleep duration is less than the preset threshold,
 receive, by using the beam used last time, signaling that is used to indicate a beam management resource and that is delivered by the network device; and 
 perform beam management based on the beam management resource by using a single panel; and 
 
 in response to determining that the sleep duration is greater than or equal to the preset threshold,
 receive, by using the beam determined during random access, the signaling that is used to indicate the beam management resource and that is delivered by the network device; and 
 perform the beam management based on the beam management resource by using a plurality of panels.